விஜயகாந்தின் தே.மு.தி.க. கட்சி துவக்க மாநாடு

Dear Friends,

On Sep 14th I was in Madurai to witness Vijayganth's party launch.
Here is a report about the grand function.

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Those who have already read enough news about it can just have a look at the
photos:

http://photos.yahoo.com/kgsenthil
Album name: Vijayganth-Party-Launch

Note: click on the photos to see enlarged picture.
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CHENNAI to THOOPUR:

I've reached Madurai railway station at 06:30am on Sep 14th. I was on the thought that the meeting will start in the evening only. After seeing the newspaper, I came to know that the program starts at 7:16am itself with the flag hoisting by Vijayganth. I thought, there may be pickup shuttle vehicles from railway station to the venue. There was nothing like that. I was told to catch a bus that goes via Thiruparangundram. Time is now 07:45am. There is
not much crowd in the bus stand. Looks like all "thondars" were sincerely reached the meeting ground(thopur) at 07:16 itself!!. Met a group of youths with "karai veshti" and "thundu". Later came to know that they are from Coimbatore(Enga ooru kaaranghoi...). Again no pickup vehicles from bus stand.

Reached the meeting ground at 08:30am. Since this is the first "Maanadu" that I am attending, I went with "bayabakthi" and thrilling in mind. In that thrilling I've missed to go via the front gate and reached the backgate. I was told that the entry ticket fee is Rs.5 and it's to be collected in the front gate. "Aaarambame sari illayenu kavalayoda ninnu kittu irundhen..." That "responsible" security man offered me a "backdoor techique". It's nothing but our 'regular process' in the government office. The security man allowed me to get in without ticket but with the tip of Rs.5 to his own pocket. ( Nammale ippadi pannalaamaanu Manasu ketkaama, again I went back to front gate, paid Rs.5 and collected a ticket.

It's 08:45am. Later I came to know that due to overcrowd, they were not able to continue the collection of Rs.5 and allowed everybody for free.). It's good that I haven't reached the meeting ground earlier. Because the 100's of pairs of chappels lying in the entrance showed the crowd and cracyness in the early morning.( See the picture in the album http://photos.yahoo.com/kgsenthil)

PARTY NAME ANNOUNCED AT 09:40am:

For first 15 mins I was not able to identify the stage. It's too far from the place where I was sitting. I was assuming that the stage was in one direction. But it was not. Only "press",special guests,"ladies" and "rasigar mandra nirvagigal" were able to get a close look of the stage. Others were able to watch the programs in TVs and LCD screens only. It's a real big "pandal" which can accomodate around 2.5lakh of people.

All the speakers came till 9:30am boasted about Vijayganth's "veera Dheera Paraakiramangal" in film stunts and "vallal gunam" in hosting the co-workers with food.

Vijayagantham started his talk at 09:30am. It's just a 15 mins talk only. Just announced the party name and told that he'll talk in detail in the evening. DMDK(Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam) is the name of his party.( When I was travelling from bus stand to the meeting venue, I was assuming that the words like "tamil" "dravida" "kazhagam" will be there for sure
in his party name. It is to be noted that just 2 weeks before the launch, vijayganth's interview in "thuglak" told the "desiyam enbadhe emaatru velai...". But somehow or somebody convinced him to add the word "desiya" in his party name.)

Starting from 09:45am to evening 06:50pm, there were no interesting things happened. Talk by District presidents of "Rasigar mandram", a "paatu mandram" and blind people's music program were the fillers.

A Contradiction & Good initiative:

Contradiction: In the middle of the meeting it was announced, NDTV calculated that there were 20 lakh people are there in the meeting. Junior vikatan calculated it as 23 lakhs. It was announced in the morning. At that time, my guess is around 2.5 lakh only.

Good initiative: Contract for cleaning the meeting ground was given to EXNORA. Cleaning was keep on going along with the meeting. Workers were given Rs.150/day for day work alone. Or Rs.275/day for staying in the meeting ground in night.

INTERVIEW:

To find the mindset of a Rasigar mandram, I got into a Van and asked for their interview.
They are from Vilupuram district. It's "Captain Vijayganth Rasigar Mandram", Kandamangalam Union, kalinjikuppam village.

From the interview( You can see their group photo, in the album http://photos.yahoo.com/kgsenthil)

- 15 people came in the van with each one's contribution as Rs.300. Apart from
that they've pooled some more money to place digital banner ad. Again and again I asked whether they've spent their own money or it was given. They told it's their own money. Asked the same with some other group also, the reply was the same.

- Except 2 persons, all were below 30 years.

- Ladies from their family were also interested in attending the meeting. But it will be inconvenient for them, so they've left them in home. In the lunch time, they got calls from their home and enquired whether the food given to them was sufficent and also asked about the meeting details.

- Most of them wored "karai veshti" and "thundu" for the first time in their life time. They were proud of that. (Since his "Rasigar mandram's" flag was reused as party's flag. Ahead of announcing the party, the "thondars" were able to purchase the dhotis and towels with border of party flag.)

- If vijayganth has not entered in politics, they won't have thought about politics. They assured that their family will also vote for Vijayganth only.

- The existing 2 big parties are always blamming each other. Public interest issues are not given importance.

- They hate to get divided by "Jaathi". We are all Tamilans. "Emmadhamum Sammmadhame..."

- One of them was a owner of tea stall which seems to the information center(news papers) and gathering place in the village. They regularly watch news paper like Dhina thandhi and dinamalar.

- Their guess about the principles of the party( To be announced in the evening): Corruption, Agriculture, Rural development, Education(lowering the fees), reduction of price in essential commodities.

LUNCH:

Due to unexpected crowd there was a huge shortage of food. I was told that food packets were supplied(not for free) in the meeting venue itself. But it was all over immediately. After 06:45am, I had my regular food at 10:15pm only. Till then, Bajji,pineapple,ice-cream,ground-nuts and nearly 10 water packets were food.

EVENING INSPIRATION: ( 06:50pm to 08:20pm)

In his morning talk, Vijayganth has told NOTHING about the principles of the party. Just announced the party name and told that he'll talk in detail in evening. So everybody were going cracy about what he's going to talk. You must have read the highlights of his talk in all the medias. so I'll make it short.

- His one and a half hour talk can be classifed into 6 sections.

1. Reading the principles of party: He frankly told that, his advisors asked him to just read the principles as it is in the printout.

2. Personal details: This is about his rice-mill background, film-entry, struggle to become a hero.

3. Relating himself with poor: I can able to live with very limited facilities. "Oru tamblar kanji kudichittu indha medailla kooda thoonga mudiyum...enna, my hand is clean.) I'm like you only("black")

4. Works done in Rasigar mandram: Per year Rs.25 lakh worth of donation were given to general public, students and physically challenged.

5. Explaining the party principles: Focus was on issues like "Corruption", "Development to Below poverty Line people", 33% reservation to women( He challenged that whether other parties are ready to give the same?),riverlinking,education, "Upliftment of farmers,labours and weavers". We won't be against "HINDI" and will encourage to read it. Same time we will
protect tamil."Tamil kaapom...anaithu mozhigalayum erpom". This was a specific and bold principle. He referred it to the availability of employment opportunites for those who know other languages.

6. Freedom struggle: Quoted examples from freedom struggle, Jail life of leaders. Except this, all other topics were handled by him excellently. My guess is, this was feeded to him by some expert groups. So that the "Dhesiya" in the party name will get some validity.

The talk was in simple language. But it was touching. He made his FIRST impact as a VERY BEST impact. Sensation talk like(Neeyum karupu-Naanum karupu, Naanum rowdithanam panniyavanthaan, Veyil-mazhai paakaama oor ooraa varen..etc) got good clap when compared with development issues like rural development,BPL-families upliftment..etc.

Nearly 2.5 lakh people attended the meeting from inside the avenue. A big digital screen was placed outside the meeting ground which attracted more than one lakh people. I was relating the situation with the "Ramana's" climax speech scene.

That's the end of the show. Catched a train at 11:15pm and reached Chennai by 08:00am. Ofcourse unreserved, sitting in the upper birth !!!!. That too helped me to get introduced to a friend who has attended the meeting. He is an srilankan Tamilan. When they were in "Mandapam(Rameswaram) camp", Vijayganth visited them and supplied food and clothes.
This happened nearly 15 years back. When their camp was shifted to Trichy, again Vijayganth visited them and helped them. He told that he can't forget Vijayganth in his life. He was the man who helped them, when they were in need...Salute to Captain...

After Vijayganth's talk is over, there were lots of crackers fired in front of the meeting ground.
It was very colorful, attractive and had many varieties. Everyone enjoyed it. But it was all over in 30 mins...

LET US ALL HOPE THAT, DMDK'S PRINCIPLES WON'T GO LIKE THAT...

Anbudan,
Senthil Arumugam
Mobile: 94431-19564
Email: Senthil@sslindia.org